Health Indicator Report of Utah Population Characteristics: Poverty, Children Age 17 and Under
Poverty takes into account both income and family size, and has both immediate and long-lasting effects on health. Income provides an assessment of the financial resources available to individual persons or families for basic necessities (e.g., food, clothing, and healthcare) to maintain or improve their well-being. Persons living in poverty are worse off than persons in more affluent households for many of the indicators tracked by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.
Poverty in the early years of a child's life, more than at any other time, has especially harmful effects on continuing healthy development and well-being, including developmental delays and infant mortality. Well-being in later childhood, such as teen pregnancy, substance abuse, and educational attainment, is also influenced by early childhood poverty.
Data from the 2022 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimate. Table B17020H-I
Percentage of children in poverty by Hispanic ethnicity and age group, Utah, 2022
Notes
Hispanic persons may be of any race. The ACS data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. The degree of uncertainty for an estimate arising from sampling variability is represented through the use of a margin of error. The value shown here is the 90 percent margin of error. The margin of error can be interpreted roughly as providing 90 percent probability that the interval defined by the estimate minus the margin of error and the estimate plus the margin of error (the lower and upper confidence bounds) contains the true value.Data Sources
- U.S. Bureau of the Census
- American Community Survey
Data Interpretation Issues
Poverty status is determined by comparing annual income to a set of dollar values called thresholds that vary by family size, number of children, and age of householder. If a family's before tax money income is less than the dollar value of their threshold, then that family and every individual in it are considered to be in poverty. For people not living in families, poverty status is determined by comparing the individual's income to his or her threshold. The poverty thresholds are updated annually to allow for changes in the cost of living using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). They do not vary geographically. The poverty threshold for a family of four including two children was $29, 678 in 2022.Definition
Percentage of children age 17 and younger living in households with income at or below the federal poverty threshold.Numerator
Estimated number of children age 17 and younger living in households with income at or below the federal poverty threshold as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.Denominator
Estimated number age 17 and younger in Utah.Other Objectives
Utah's 42 Community Health IndicatorsHow Are We Doing?
According to the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), an estimated 8.5% of Utah children aged 17 or under (approximately 78,360 Utah children) were living in poverty in 2022. Children born into poverty are less likely to have regular health care, proper nutrition, and opportunities for mental stimulation and enrichment.How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
Utah has a lower percentage of children in poverty than the U.S. as a whole, 8.5% vs. 16.3% in 2022.What Is Being Done?
While the Utah Department of Health has no program designed to reduce the number of children in poverty, there are programs such as Medicaid and CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) that pay for health care for eligible children.Available Services
For information on the Medicaid program: [[br]] In the Salt Lake City area, call 801-538-6155.[[br]] In Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada, call toll-free 1-800-662-9651.[[br]] From other states, call 1-801-538-6155.[[br]] Medicaid Customer Service staff are available to take inquiries.[[br]] Or visit the Utah Medicaid website:[[br]] [https://medicaid.utah.gov][[br]] [[br]] For information on CHIP:[[br]] Call the Health Resource Line: 1-888-222-2542[[br]] Or visit the their websites:[[br]] CHIP: Children's Health Insurance Program (for children 0-18) -[[br]] [https://chip.health.utah.gov/][[br]] Voices for Utah Children is a private, not-for-profit organization that advocates for children. Information about their activities may be found on their website - [http://www.utahchildren.org]
Page Content Updated On 01/09/2024,
Published on 07/25/2024